Method of in situ leak monitoring in fluid circuits

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a method of detecting failures in a semiconductor processing system. The method includes monitoring a pressure in a common conduit, stopping a first flow of a first fluid from a first conduit into the common conduit, monitoring the common conduit pressure for a first delay period after stopping the first flow, stopping a second flow of a second fluid from a second conduit into the common conduit, monitoring the common conduit pressure for a second delay period after stopping the second flow, closing a port of the common conduit, downstream of the first conduit and the second conduit, and monitoring the pressure in the common conduit after closing the port of the common conduit for a third delay period, and creating an error signal if the pressure in the common conduit does not reach a steady state within the first, second, or third delay period.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of detecting failures in a fluid circuit of a processing system for use in semiconductor processing, comprising:
 closing a first valve to stop a first flow of a first fluid from a first conduit into a common conduit;   closing a second valve to stop a second flow of a second fluid from a second conduit into the common conduit;   after a first delay period subsequent to closing the first valve and the second valve, closing a port valve of the common conduit, downstream of the first conduit and the second conduit;   after a second delay period subsequent to closing the port valve, monitoring, for a third period, a pressure in the common conduit; and   taking one or more actions if the pressure in the common conduit is outside of a first pressure threshold.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 measuring, with a mass flow monitor, a flow rate within the common conduit; and   taking the one or more actions if the flow rate within the common conduit is outside of a flow rate threshold within the third period.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first pressure threshold has a +/−2% variation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is a slurry and the second fluid includes water. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first delay period and the second delay period are about 2 seconds to about 5 seconds. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flow rate threshold is about 0 gram/second to about 1 gram/second. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein taking one or more actions includes one or more of creating an error signal and stopping a flow within a fluid circuit. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, the first pressure threshold is about 745 Torr to about 770 Torr. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the port valve is upstream of a processing chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first flow and the second flow occur at different times. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 measuring the pressure in the common conduit during and after the first delay period;   taking the one or more actions if the pressure in the common conduit does not change during the first delay period; and   maintaining a run state if the pressure in the common conduit is within a second pressure threshold after the first delay period.   
     
     
         12 . A processing circuit for use in semiconductor processing, comprising:
 a process chamber configured for semiconductor manufacturing;   a common conduit comprising:
 a pressure sensor; and 
 a port coupled to the process chamber by a port valve; 
   a first conduit coupled to the common conduit by a first valve upstream of the port valve;   a second conduit coupled to the common conduit by a second valve upstream of the port valve; and   a controller comprising memory, the memory comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a plurality of operations to be conducted, the plurality of operations comprising:
 closing the first valve to stop a first flow of a first fluid from the first conduit into the common conduit; 
 closing the second valve to stop a second flow of a second fluid from the second conduit into the common conduit; 
 after a first delay period subsequent to closing the second valve, closing the port valve of the common conduit; 
 after a second delay period subsequent to closing the port valve, monitoring, for a third period, a pressure in the common conduit using the pressure sensor; and 
 taking one or more actions if the pressure in the common conduit is outside of a first pressure threshold. 
   
     
     
         13 . The processing circuit of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of operations further comprise:
 flowing the first fluid from the first conduit into the common conduit while the second valve is closed; and   flowing the second fluid from the second conduit into the common conduit while the first valve is closed.   
     
     
         14 . The processing circuit of  claim 12 , wherein the pressure in the common conduit is continuously monitored. 
     
     
         15 . The processing circuit of  claim 12 , further comprising a mass flow monitor disposed downstream of the first valve and the second valve, and disposed upstream of the port valve. 
     
     
         16 . The processing circuit of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of operations further comprise monitoring a flow rate through the common conduit with the mass flow monitor. 
     
     
         17 . A processing system for use in semiconductor processing, comprising:
 one or more supply circuits, each supply circuit of the one or more supply circuits comprising:
 a common conduit comprising:
 a pressure sensor; and 
 a port valve coupled to one or more outlets of the one or more supply circuits, each outlet of the one or more outlets comprising a mass flow monitor; 
 
 a first conduit coupled to the common conduit by a first valve upstream of the port valve; 
 a second conduit coupled to the common conduit by a second valve upstream of the port valve; 
   a first supply manifold coupled to the first conduit of each of the one or more supply circuits;   a second supply manifold coupled to the second conduit of each of the one or more supply circuits;   a master flow meter disposed upstream of the second supply manifold; and   a controller comprising memory, the memory comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a plurality of operations to be conducted, the plurality of operations comprising:
 monitoring a pressure in the common conduit of each of the one or more supply circuits using the pressure sensor of the respective common conduit; 
 monitoring a first mass flow rate through each outlet of the one or more outlets of the one or more supply circuits using the mass flow monitor of the respective outlet; 
 determining a combined mass flow rate through the one or more supply circuits based on the first mass flow rate through each outlet of the one or more outlets of the one or more supply circuits; 
 monitoring a second mass flow rate through the master flow meter; 
 comparing a pressure in the common conduit of each of the one or more supply circuits with a pressure threshold; 
 comparing the second mass flow rate with the combined mass flow rate; and 
 taking one or more actions if:
 the pressure in the common conduit in at least one of the one or more supply circuits is outside of the pressure threshold during a period when the first valve, the second valve, and the port valve corresponding to the respective common conduit are closed; or 
 the combined mass flow rate is outside of a flow threshold of the second mass flow rate. 
 
   
     
     
         18 . The processing system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more outlets are coupled to one or more chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) modules. 
     
     
         19 . The processing system of  claim 17 , wherein the taking one or more actions comprises stopping flow through the one or more supply circuits when there is an error signal. 
     
     
         20 . The processing system of  claim 17 , wherein the taking one or more actions comprises identifying a leak in the one or more supply circuits.